Comfrey

 Trying Comfrey

Ordered a bare root from Nantahala Farm Nancy Shirley - Russian Comfrey Bocking #14

It came in early March and had instructions keep in the fridge for a few days and to plant it as soon as the ground is not frozen. Who even knows when the ground will thaw here, maybe as long a a month into the first week of April.  I thought that keeping it in the fridge for a month would be a bad idea, so I put it in as large a pot as I had with one bag of potting soil and put it downstairs (among the lavender) in the basement with a grow light. The tap root goes very deep and does not like to be disturbed once planted. But I'll get it, gently, out into the ground as soon as I can in the spring. We'll see if it works!

Bare root comfrey potted on March 8, 2022

Comfrey Tea Fertilizer

I'm growing comfrey for fertilizer. Comfrey has very deep roots, which means it extracts large quantities of nutrients from far below the soil’s surface, inaccessible to other plants. These nutrients are stored in its leaves. By harvesting the leaves and letting them break down, you’ll have a rich, dark, nutrient-rich plant food to use around the garden. It’s especially rich in potassium, making it the ideal feed to promote flowers and fruits in a range of plants.

Comfrey can be used as green manure, a top dressing, in the bottom of the hole for new plants and as a compost activator. Also, see below for comfrey compost tea.

Leave comfrey for the first year to get established. Harvest lightly the first year so roots develop well. Otherwise, comfrey is a fast grower and the leaves can be harvested at least 4 times a year, the first cutting is usually ready by mid-spring. Harvest by cutting the leaves back to about 2 inches above the soil. You can also take individual leaves as they get to about the size of your hand. After the first cut, you can count on another cutting every 6 weeks until early autumn. This is when you should allow the plants to leaf out and build up winter reserves.

Step 1

Harvest comfrey leaves from the base of established plants. The hairy leaves can irritate the skin, so wear gloves if necessary.

Step 2

Remove flowers and tough stems, then chop up the leaves and pack them tightly into a water-tight container. If possible, choose a container with a lid, as the solution can smell as the leaves break down. Use a brick to weigh down the leaves.

Step 3

Check on the progress every few weeks. The leaves will break down gradually, releasing a smelly brown liquid. Collect any liquid, storing it in a cool, dark place. Top up with fresh leaves.

Step 4

Dilute the collected liquid at a rate of one part comfrey to 10 parts water – the darker it is, the more you’ll need to dilute it. Use the solution as a potassium-rich liquid fertiliser to encourage flowers and fruit set.

Comfrey, March 13, 2022

Comfrey, March 18, 2022

Comfrey, March 22, 2022

Dividing Mature Comfrey Plants

• Plants are mature at 2 years or older and continue to expand slowly every year. So once a plant is large and well established you can divide it into more plants. It is a hardy plant and almost all transplants survive. Add the transplants along the top of the slope; there should be plenty of sun once that crummy tree is removed.
• Divide by pushing your shovel vertically all the way through the plant in the middle of the crown (this photo). Take half of the crown with the roots. Divide the roots into 6-8 inch pieces and plant elsewhere.
• Or drive a shovel horizontally through the leaf clump about 3-4 inches below the soil surface. This removes the crown. Divide it into 6 inch pieces preferably ones with growing buds.